1. Passage number 1
The poem 'Mother' is the voice of a child, expressing poignant compassion upon witnessing their mother aging day by day, growing old and frail, no longer as robust and vigorous as in the past. All the bitter sweetness, joys, and sorrows of life are witnessed by the betel quid. Poet Đỗ Trung Lai chose the image of the betel tree to metaphorically compare with the mother, a sophisticated and expressive discovery, delving not only into the external appearance but also the profound imprint of time on a person's destiny. The mother is filled with hopes and dreams, but time is harsh, like an eternal cycle: 'Mother's back is bent - Yet the betel tree stands tall' and 'Betel - its leaves remain verdant, Mother - her head is white with silver'. Two contrasting colors, two opposing figures create an impression for the poetic soul, echoing the turmoil when 'The betel is close to the sky - Mother, close to the ground'. Just through the image of betel: 'A piece of dry betel - As dry and withered as Mother', enough to evoke heart-wrenching emotions when 'I lift it in my hand - Yet cannot hold back tears'. The verbs 'lift' and 'hold' depict the emotional gesture. If 'lifting' is dignified and respectful, 'holding' suppresses a multitude of bitterness. Each pair of expressions accompanies each other, creating abundant substance, few words but echoing far. This is also the emotional movement of the poem 'Mother,' compressed to burst forth a sigh of lamentation, carrying the rhythmic tone of ancient literature: 'Looking up to the sky, I ask - Why is Mother getting old?'. The self-questioning of the heavens is also self-questioning of one's own heart. The poem touches upon human suffering, the human realm, both intense and desolate: 'Not a single response - Clouds drift away into the distance'. Thus, the poem is a poignant and compassionate lament of a child before the image of their frail and aged mother over the years.

2. Passage number 3
Poet Đỗ Trung Lai has evoked deep emotions in me through the poem 'Mother.' Mother, with her petite frame contrasting with the betel tree in the garden, 'Mother's back is bent - Yet the betel tree stands tall,' makes me even more heartbroken. Along the flow of time, that betel tree grows taller and taller, but my mother is 'getting shorter every day.' I remember the days of childhood, the single betel quid still mom's favorite, but today that betel quid is split into eight small pieces, and 'Mother is still hesitant!' Looking at the familiar dried betel quid, I am reminded of the image of my mother aging every day, 'A piece of dry betel - As dry and withered as Mother.' Witnessing my mother getting older and weaker, I feel a tightness, a silence in my heart as my hands tremble to 'lift' with all due respect. But in the end, standing before the familiar face losing its youthful vigor, I 'cannot hold back tears.' The self-questioning, 'Why is Mother getting old?' only affirms the helplessness, the pain of being unable to grasp the flow of time slipping away to keep my mother by my side forever. With just four concise verses, the contrasting poetic images and the comparison 'As dry and withered as Mother' vividly portray the true image of the mother. Through this, the poem speaks of the hardships, the simplicity of mother's life, while affirming the deep love that a child has for their mother.

3. Passage number 2
Reading Đỗ Trung Lai's poem 'Mother,' I feel deeply moved by the affection of a child for their beloved mother. At the beginning of the poem, we encounter the image of a mother with a slender back 'Mother's back is bent - Yet the betel tree stands tall.' The contrasting poetic images emphasize the profound emotions and silent pain in the heart of the child upon realizing that the mother has aged. The relentless law of time, once gone, makes the child's heart even more constricted 'The betel tree is close to the sky/ Mother is close to the earth.' The image of 'split betel' getting smaller day by day evokes the aging and frailty of the mother. As the child grows up, so does the mother become thin and weak over the years: 'A piece of dry betel - As dry and withered as Mother.' And the child becomes even more respectful, cherishing the mother's love 'the child lifts with their hand' but cannot hold back the tears of love and pity. The question at the end of the poem 'Why is Mother getting old?' seems like self-questioning, while also evoking the loneliness and emptiness in the heart of the child. Through contrasting poetic images, simple language, and concise four-line verses, the poem depicts the image of an aging mother always dignified and steadfast. The poem serves as a reminder for everyone to love and care for their mother and loved ones in the family.

4. Paragraph number 5
Poems about mothers always evoke deep emotions, conveying special feelings. Because maternal love is a sacred emotion for every individual. Deep in the soul, in the heart, there is always the image of a beloved mother. The mother has given us all the love through endless sacrifices. Đỗ Trung Lai's poem 'Mother' is one of the poems beautifully written about mothers. In the poem, the author chose the image of a betel tree, betel nuts appearing alongside the mother. This is a quite delicate discovery, full of expressions. The betel tree stands straight through the ages, while the mother's back bends every day; the betel leaves remain green forever, while the mother's hair turns increasingly silver; the betel tree grows taller and taller, while the mother gradually becomes shorter; the old betel nuts were divided into six, now eight pieces have grown. The only similarity between the mother and the betel tree evokes much sorrow: The betel nut, dry as the mother. Thus, time has taken away the green years, drained the strength of the mother, making the child's heart ache and question the heavens. But where is the answer to the question... Birth, old age, sickness, death are the eternal laws of human life.

5. Paragraph 4
Đỗ Trung Lai's poem 'Mother' is a remarkable piece depicting the image of a mother that deeply impresses me. Borrowing the familiar image of a betel tree from the Vietnamese countryside, the author vividly portrays the figure of a mother aging with time. While the betel tree in the garden grows taller and straighter, the mother's back becomes more hunched 'Mother's back is bent/ The betel tree still stands tall'. As the betel tree flourishes, so does the aging of the mother 'The betel tree grows taller/ The mother grows shorter'. My heart tightens with pain witnessing my mother growing older and weaker each day. The author uses the image of a betel nut 'Mother's betel tree splits in two/ Now it splits into eight' to illustrate the aging process. The gentle comparison 'A dry betel nut/ Dry and thin like my mother' helps us deeply feel the sadness and profound silence in the child's heart. The closing question of the poem 'Why is my mother aging?' is not just directed towards the heavens but also a question the child asks themselves. Through simple, natural verses, concise four-line stanzas, and literary devices like contrasting 'bent - straight' and comparison 'Dry and thin like my mother', the poem expresses the sincere emotions of the character. The poem's title encapsulated in a single word 'Mother' evokes a myriad of emotions about a child's love for their mother and the sadness felt when seeing her age.

6. Paragraph 7
The poem Mother reveals profound emotions upon witnessing the mother aging, no longer as robust as before. The betel nut has witnessed myriad joys, sorrows, hardships, and anxieties in the mother's life. Đỗ Trung Lai ingeniously juxtaposes the image of the betel tree with the mother. The betel tree, a timeless symbol intertwined with Vietnamese rural culture, has always been associated with the mother's life in the countryside. Time, as a relentless force, never turns back: “Mother's back is bent - The betel tree still stands tall”, “The betel tree - Verdant leaves, Mother - Silvering hair”. These contrasting images evoke a haunting emotion: “The betel tree nears the sky - Mother nears the earth”. It's an obsession, a poignant reality that one can only observe but cannot change. The natural law is immutable. “A dry betel nut - As dry as mother” is enough to bring forth a flood of emotions: “Holding in my hands - Unable to hold back tears”. The agony, the sorrow, the love, and the appreciation verge on overwhelming emotions. Since when has mother grown so old, while all one can do is ache, shed tears, and question: “Looking up at the sky - Why is mother aging?”. This question is self-reproach, the utmost agony of a child's heart. No one answers, “No response - Clouds drift far away”, leaving only loneliness, emptiness, and tumultuous emotions.

7. Paragraph 6
One of the remarkable works depicting a mother is 'Mother' by Đỗ Trung Lai. As one reads the poem, one can feel it's the voice of a child expressing emotions about their mother. The author employs the imagery of the betel tree, familiar and intimate, to reveal the sorrow as the mother ages. Contrasting images like 'Mother's back is bent - The betel tree still stands tall', 'The betel tree - Verdant leaves, Mother - Silvering hair' evoke thoughts of the mother's old age. Additionally, the poet uses the figurative device of simile: 'A dry betel nut - As dry as mother', depicting the withering of the mother. Faced with this harsh reality, the child expresses emotions directly: 'Holding in my hands - Unable to hold back tears' - it's agony, sorrow. All compressed, the child then questions oneself: 'Looking up to ask now - Why is mother aging?' The question receives no answer. No one can answer why mother is aging, nor can anyone stop the cruel march of time. The imagery of 'clouds drifting far away' is akin to the mother's graying hair blending with the white clouds above, expressing profound regret. Through the poem, readers also grasp the message the author conveys: cherish the moments spent with the mother, love and appreciate one's own mother.

8. Paragraph 9
Motherhood has been an enduring theme in poetry. Adding to that discourse, Đỗ Trung Lai poignantly portrays the heart-wrenching pain of a child witnessing the gradual decline of their mother, her stooping figure, diminishing stature, and silvering hair, feeling utterly helpless. This imagery is vividly captured in the lines:
'A dry betel nut
Dry as mother
Held in my hands
Tears I cannot hold.' A dry betel nut transitions from green to brown, losing its taste and appeal. The author employs this image to draw a comparison with the mother. Looking at the dry betel nut, the author is reminded of the aged mother, frail and withered, bringing forth tears that cannot be contained. This unique comparison evokes profound emotions within me, as I think of my own beloved mother aging with each passing day, thus I cherish her more and treasure these verses. The concise verse with its unique figurative comparison reflects the poet's keen insight, deep emotion, and profound love for the mother.

9. Paragraph 8
Đỗ Trung Lai's poem 'Mother' is a richly expressive piece portraying the mother with contrasting imagery. In the opening verses, the author employs a comparative technique to highlight the contrast between the image of 'mother' and 'betel nut': 'Mother's back is bent/ Betel nut stands straight', 'Betel nut - green shoot/ Mother - white silver head'. These contrasting images, contrasting colors emphasized and highlighted the sighs and silent pain, the constriction within the author's heart upon realizing the aging of the mother. Each verse continues with the juxtaposition of these two images, mother and betel nut. Then, the author indirectly describes the mother by comparison: 'A piece of betel nut dry/ Dry thin like mother'. This descriptive approach not only evokes emotions but also delicately avoids the author's own sadness before the image of the aging mother. The entire poem, with its contrasting images of 'mother' and 'betel nut', has brought out the image of the mother and the deep affection for her by the poet.

10. Paragraph 10
Poems about mothers always carry a special emotional resonance, as maternal love is sacred to every human being. Đỗ Trung Lai's poem 'Mother' is one of those beautifully penned verses about mothers. In the poem, the author chooses the imagery of the betel palm, betel nut appearing alongside the mother. This is a rather subtle yet profound observation, rich in symbolism. The betel palm remains upright for generations, while the mother's back bends more each day; betel leaves stay green forever, but mother's hair nears the ground; betel nuts of the past were four, now they're eight and swollen. Only one similarity between the mother and the betel nut evokes much sorrow: The dry betel nut - dry like mother. Thus, time has taken away the green years, drained the strength of the mother, causing the child to ponder the heavens. But the question remains unanswered… Birth, old age, sickness, death are the eternal laws of humanity. Therefore, the poem 'Mother' is the voice of the child, expressing the poignant emotions upon witnessing the mother aging, her old age bringing weakness, no longer as robust and vigorous as before.

